Pipe-wrench.



W. H. J. FITZGERALD.

PIPE WRENCH. APPLIOATIQK nmzn 111111: a, 1911'.

1,004,561. Pnenued 0013,1911. I

'lzsrvrzyrozz wwm ym /w d4 BY COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO.. WASHINGTON. D- C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY JOSEPH FITZGERALD, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIPE-WRENCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY J0- SEPH FITZGERALD, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Braintree, in the county of Norfolk and Stateof Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPiperenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to pipe wrenches, and the invention consistsin the construction and combination of parts substantially as shown anddescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thewrench, open, and showing a hand. and the manner of gripping andoperating the wrench. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the wrench with thejaws closed and partially sectioned. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theouter end of the handle-bar and the jaw integral therewith, and Fig. 4is a perspective view of a serrated steel insert for said jaw, as seenin Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5-5, Fig. 1, andFig. 6 is a cross section on the line of the engaging screw. Fig. 7 is aside view of the outer end of a modification of the wrench showing thetapered shank of the handle-bar with a shoulder on its back adapted toserve as a stop for the yoke instead of being at the sides as in Fig. 3.

The present invention chiefly involves details of construction, the mainparts of the wrench being disclosed in a general way in two UnitedStates Patents to John R. Long, of Akron, Ohio, and numbered 955,974 and890,146, respectively, and some of the novel details herein being shownin a companion application filed by me and bearing Ser. No. 632,557.

In acknowledging the state of the art, particularly as disclosed in thesaid Long patents, it is conceded that the construction of a handle-baror main bar B with an integral jaw 2 and a sliding jaw member D with atapered or approximately wedge shaped shank and a substantiallysleeveshaped keeper or yoke C uniting said parts is not broadly new.That is, certain corresponding parts are shown in both said patents, butwith this difference that neither of said patents nor my own improvementabove mentioned shows a pipe wrench, whereas the invention herein is apipe wrench and contains certain material modi- Speeifieation of LettersPatent.

Application filed June 9, 1911.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Serial No. 632,140.

fications of construction on the above which are new and original withme and upon which this application is based.

Now, having reference again to the drawings, it will be observed thatthe main bar B has inner and outer straight edges 4: and 5 respectively,the inner edge 4 being in line with the axis of the bar and terminatingat the curved portion of the shank of jaw 2, while the outer edge 5 runsout at the back of said shank. From the ends of both said edges theshank of said jaw curves upwardly upon said jaw both within and withoutthe same, and reinforcing heads I) are formed on opposite sides thereofat or along its face portion which extend down into a substantiallyright angled position in the angle of said shank and terminate inshoulders 6 at each side. These shoulders perform the important ofliceof stops for the yoke O to prevent the same from wedging upon thetapered shank of jaw D when the j aws are run together or in theirclosest possible relation, Fig. 2. Formerly, under Longs patents, therewas nothing to prevent such wedging, and its constant recurrence was notonly very annoying to the user but became an objection upon which thewrench frequently was condemned and thrown away. Now, I have cured thisdefect by providing definite stops 6 at the sides of the wrench againstwhich the yoke impinges just before it reaches the binding position onthe said parts and beyond which the yoke cannot go. Of course it isunderstood that the practically closed relation of the jaws in Fig. 2 isnot a working relation, and that as said jaws are slightly opened theyoke becomes efi'etcive.

E represents a steel or suitably hardened jaw insert having serrationsor teeth transversely upon its face and a central rib S on its backadapted to fit in a correspondingly shaped recess 9 in the front of jaw2 and removably secured by a pin 10.

A peculiarity of the construction of bar B in addition to theenlargements b in or about the shank of jaw 2 is the curved surface 0 onthe top of said shank at the end of the straight top edge 4 and whichconforms to the curved engaging face of the insert E. The said curvedsurface a is engaged by the curved corner portion. (l of the jaw D andfixes the limit of its closing movement. From this lower point the faceh of the jaw retreats at such decided inclination that its upper portionis considerably removed from the opposite face of jaw 2, and thisrelation of said faces is sustained at all times regardless of how farapart they may be.

A screw 14 through the side of the yoke engages in a side depression inthe member D and confines the parts operatively totion the other memberor part will move with it and neither will move without personalactuation. This result is effected herein, as it is in my companionapplication above noted, by means of a fiat strip or piece S of springmetal having upwardly bent ends adapted to bear against side edges ofthe respective jaw members and resting at its middle portion in atransverse recess milled into one side of the yoke near its edge. Thesaid spring S need be only strong enough to make a comfortablefrictional engagement between the said parts and so that if the thumbpresses on the yoke forward the aw D will move with it. This also causessaid parts to hold adjusted positions together on the bar B regardlessof how the wrench is held and without wedging them together, and leaveseach part suffi ciently free for individual movement when this becomesnecessary.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe wrench comprising a handlebar having a tapered shank and anintegral jaw, said jaw having an inner serrated face and sideenlargements terminating in shoulders at either side of said shank, incombination with a slidable jaw having a tapered shank, and a yoke ofwedge-shape adapted to engage said shoulders, whereby the movement ofthe yoke is limited relatively to the slidable jaw.

2. A wrench comprising a handle-bar having a tapered shank and anintegral jaw, said jaw having re-inforcing ribs at either side extendingalong the top of said shank and terminating in shoulders, in combinationwith a slidable jaw having a tapering shank, land a wedge-shaped yoke toconfine said slidable jaw upon said handle-bar and adapted to be limitedin its forward move ment by said shoulders.

8. A wrench comprising a handlebar having a tapered shank and anintegral aw, in combination with a slidable jaw having a tapered shank,and a yoke of wedge-shape sleeved over the shanks of both the handlebarand slidable jaw, and said handle-bar having a stop to limit theretiring movement of'the slidable jaw and also a stop to limit theforward movement of the yoke.

4C. A wrench comprising a handle-bar having a tapered shank and anintegral jaw, a separate jaw having a tapered shank slidably mounted onsaid handle-bar, a wedge-shaped yoke slidably engaged with both theshanks of said handle-bar and slidable jaw, and separate stops to thefront and rear of said yoke to limit the rearward movement of theslidable jaw and the forward movement of the yoke, respectively.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY JOSEPH FITZGERALD.

WVitnesses:

SAGU G. HOLLANDER, WALTER H. DRAPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

